Coin operated oxygen dispenser



20, 1966 v J. J. COWLEY 3,292,821

I COIN OPERATED OXYGEN DISPENSER 7 Filed July 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

JOHN J. COWLEY Cauanag/z 8' War-man Dec. 20, 1966 Filed July 15, 1965OOOOOO OOOO O O 00 O Freq:

J. J. COWLEY COIN OPERATED OXYGEN DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

FIG. 5

V VALVE H TIMER INVENTORI JOHN J. COWLEY I 6auanag 6" Wor'man UnitedStates Patent 3,292,821 COIN OPERATED OXYGEN DISPENSER John JamesCowley, 238 Carmichael Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed July 15,1965, Ser. No. 472,088 Claims. (Cl. 2222) The invention relates to acoin operated oxygen dispenser.

It is well known that the breathing of air enriched with substantialquantities of additional oxygen for short periods of time can greatlyaccelerate recovery of persons from fatigue due to, for example,overexertion in sports, and also can be of considerable assistance inspeeding the recovery of persons who have otherwise reduced theavailable oxygen in their bloodstream as for example by over indulgencein alcohol. For this reason, oxygen inhalators are frequently madeavailable at sporting events and are also available in a very few socialand recreational centres. However, the use of normal oxygen inhalatordevices requires the assistance of a skilled operator and in addition isrelatively difficult to control with a result that the charges made forthe use of the oxygen are excessive and as a result such services havenot been made available except in a very few instances. I

It is apparent however that if such oxygen can be made availableautomatically without the use of an assistant and can be metered inpredetermined quantities, a considerable opportunity exists for theinstallation of oxygen breathing equipment in a very large number oflocations such as for example, swimming baths and other local sportingfacilities, and also in hotels and beverage rooms. However, theprovision of such an automatic oxygen breathing apparatus has generallyspeaking been felt to be a difficult problem due to the difiiculty ofstoring oxygen under pressure with a sufiicient degree of safety andalso due to the difficulty of reducing the pressure and dispensing theoxygen in an economical and efficient manner.

Accordingly, it is a general objective of the present invention toprovide a coin operated oxygen dispensing apparatus which is relativelysimple and economical to build and in which the oxygen is stored in animproved manner with a high degree of safety, and in which thedispersing and breathing of the oxygen is performed in a simple mannerin response to the deposit of a coin by a purchaser without theassistance of an operator, which apparatus may be constructed andoperated substantially in the manner of an automatic vending machine.

More particularly, it is an objective of the present invention toprovide apparatus having the foregoing advantages which is hygenic touse and is provided with disposable mask means avoiding thecontamination of the apparatus by users.

More particularly, it is an objective of the present invention toprovide apparatus having the foregoing advantages which is provided withmeans for metering the total flow of oxygen dispensed at any one saleand in addition, is provided with means for controllably restrictingflow of oxygen during any one such sale so as to avoid wastage.

The foregoing and other advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention whichwill now be described with reference to the following drawings in whichlike reference devices refer to like parts thereof throughout thevarious views and diagrams and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective illustration of a coin operated vendingmachine for dispensing oxygen according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional illustration along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional side elevation along the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

3,292,821 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 comprises-a wall mounted container 10of sheet steel boxlike construction and having a front closure 11hingedly mounted thereto along one vertical side (not shown) and havinglocking means generally indicated as 12 located adjacent the othervertical side. An oxygen dispenser head indicated generally by the arrow13 (to be described in more detail below) is partially enclosed withinhousing 14 permitting only limited upward and downward swinging movementof dispensing head 13 about pivoting axis 15, and simultaneouslyprotecting the same from destruction due to misuse. The front closure 11is also provided with a coin slot and timing mechanism generallyindicated as 16 and a warning light 17 for indicating that the machineis in operation and a conventional hopper or magazine 18 for storing anddispensing paper cups 19 which are retained therein by swingably mountedretaining plate 18a or any other suitable similar control means.

Turning now to FIGURES 2 and 3 it will be noted that housing 10 islargely occupied by pressure container 20 for storing of compressedoxygen. Container 20 comprises a single continuous tube wound aboutitself in a spiral form substantially as shown to provide a greatlyelongated continuous tubular pressure container capable of withstandingvery high internal pressures and having a relatively thin walledstructure in relation to the pressure and volume contained therebyavoiding the destructive effects of an explosion if it should takeplace. The details of construction of such pressure container 20 aredescribed in co-pending United States patent application Ser. No.450,325, filed Apr. 23, 1965 for Tubular Pressure Vessel. Vessel 20 ispreferably connected to an expansion chamber 21 by means of capillarytube 22, escape of oxygen from vessel 20 to vessel 21 being controlledby the solenoid operated valve 23. Expansion vessel or chamber 21 isfurther connected to the oxygen dispensing head 13 by means of tube 24,passage of oxygen therefrom being controlled by solenoid operated valve25.

Oxygen dispensing head 13 is shown in FIGURE 4 in detail and will beseen to comprise the substantially tubular rigid arm portion 26 having agenerally coned shaped mouthpiece or end portion 27 fastened thereto.Within tubular arm 26 is located tube 24 at the other end of which isconnected through valve 25 to expansion chamber 21 as described above.Tube 24 terminates in junction fitting 28 making screw threadedconnection to injection needle 29 having a passage 30 extendingtherethrough and terminating in a sharpened or pointed end 31. Aroundneedle 31 there is provided a sliding sleeve portion 32 fitting within aforward extension of tubular arm 26 and having slide members 33extending through slots 34 formed in tubular arm 26 for the purpose.Coil spring 35 is retained by sleeve 32 and urges the same normallyoutwardly of tubular arm 26. Across the open mouth defined by sleeve 32there is provided a gauze or wire mesh screen 36 having a central axialopening 37 for passage of needle point 31 therethrough and around theedges of screen 36 there are provided a series of spring steel fingers38 for gripping the lower end of a cup 19 and holding the same inengagement with screen 36 substantially as shown in FIGURE 4. The innerside of screen 36 is in engagement with a plunger member 39 spring urgedby spring 40 into engagement with screen 36 and extending slidablythrough partition portion 26a of tubular sleeve 26 and terminating in acontact button 41 oriented to engage spring contact 42 of electricalswitch 43. For additional safety, a one-way flow control valve '44 islocated close to needle 29, in tube 24 so as to permit flow of oxygenoutwardly but to prevent reverse flow of air upwardly into tube 24.

The circuit diagram of the apparatus is shown in FIG- URE 5 and it willbe seen that electrical power is supplied under the control of timer 16to solenoid valve 23 and solenoid valve 25. Solenoid valve 23 isdesigned to supply high pressure oxygen from vessel 20 to vessel 21 andto cut off immediately a predetermined back pressure existing in vessel21 thereby providing a predetermined unit charge in response to thedeposit of a coin. Solenoid valve 25 is controlled by switch 43 andoperates to pass oxygen from vessel 21 to needle 29 upon switch 43 beingoperated by insertion of a cup 19 between fingers 38 and depression ofcup 19 so as to compress spring and force needle point 31 through thebase of cup 19.

In operation, a person in need of oxygen may insert a coin into coinmechanism 16 and rotate the timing device in a manner similar to forexample, a parking meter or the like mechanism. Such operation willclose the electrical circuit thereby applying electrical power to valves23 and 25 and to switch 43 and will also energize warning light 17thereby indicating that the machine is in operation. As soon aselectrical power is supplied to solenoid valve 23, high pressure oxygenfrom container 20 is applied to expansion chamber 21 which is of apredetermined unit sale volume and, as soon as a predetermined pressurewithin chamber 21 is built up, valve 23 functions to cut-off furthersupply of oxygen thereby vending a predetermined unit quantity of oxygenin response to the insertion of a single coin. The purchaser thenremoves a single cup 19 from hopper 18, swinging plate member 18aswinging sideways once only to permit such dispensing. The cup 19 isthen placed or fitted Within spring steel fingers 38 located around theedges of screen 36 which retain the base of cup 19 in position thereon.The purchaser then pushes cup 19 inwardly against coil spring 35 untilneedle point 31' pierces. the base of cup 19. At approximately the samemoment, plunger member 39 will be depressed into contact with springcontact 42 of electrical switch 43 which in turn controls the operationof solenoid valve 25. Operation of solenoid valve 25 permits the flow ofoxygen from expansion chamber 21 through tube 24 and needle 29 into theinterior of cup 1-9 where the oxygen is available for the purchaser toinhale. Upon the purchaser having inhaled once deeply, he may permit cup19 to be released and move forwardly under the influence of spring 35thereby disengaging plunger 39 from switch 43 and cutting off valve 25thereby terminating flow of oxygen into cup 19. When the purchaser isagain ready to inhale a further quantity of oxygen he may again depresscup 19 against spring 35, thereby procuring a further flow of oxygeninto cup 19 from expansion chamber 21. These movements may be repeateduntil the pressure of the oxygen stored in chamber 21 is reduced tosubstantially or only slightly above atmospheric pressure at which timeno further oxygen will fiow therefrom. If however the purchaser decidesto discontinue further inhalation while some oxygen pressure remains inchamber 21 then the apparatus will be automatically switched oh by thetiming mechanism contained in coin mechanism 16, thereby switching offelectrical supply both to solenoid valve 23 and to solenoid valve 25.

It will be noted that throughout the entire operation, and aftertermination of inhalation, all dead zones which might otherwise entrapand retain foreign matter are directed at a downward angle therebyensuring that any gas or foreign matter will be ejected into thesurrounding atmosphere and avoiding a build up of such matter or gaswhich might be harmful, and minimizing the risk of explosion. Inaddition, it will be understood that although the present invention hasbeen described in connection with a partly mechanical and partlyelectrical operation, the entire mechanism can be operated by mechanicalmeans thereby avoiding the necessity forlocating the mechanism at ornear an electrical outlet and also for the purpose of meeting anyspecial requirements of local authorities and safety organizations ifsuch are in force in the particular locality.

The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention by way of example only and the invention is not limited to thespecific features shown but contemplates all such variations as comewithin the.

spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. Coin operated apparatus for dispensing gaseous oxygen and the like inpredetermined unit volume and comprising: a pressure vessel for storingsaid gas; metering means connected thereto for regulating flow of gasvolume therefrom; coin responsive control means for operation of saidmetering means; a dispensing head connected to said vessel and orientedto direct gas dispensed therefrom towards a purchaser; a dispensingneedle having a gas pas sageway therein, in said dispensing head; and, agrill mem-:

ber movably mounted to conceal said needle and slidable to permit thesame to pass therethrough.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including spring means orientedto control sliding movement of said grill and finger means on said grillmember oriented to releasably engage a disposable mouthpiece.

-3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a dispensing armswingably mounted in a vertical plane for supporting said dispensinghead at varying heights.

4. Coin operated apparatus for dispensing gaseous oxygen and the like inpredetermined unit volume and cornprising: a high pressure vessel forstoring said gas; a low-. pressure vessel constituting a gas expansionchamber of;

predetermined unit volume connected to said pressure vessel; check valvemeans between said high and low pressure vessels; a dispensing headconnected to said vessel and i oriented to direct gas dispensedtherefrom towards a purchaser; and, coin operated dispensing valve meansbetween said low pressure vessel and said dispensing head.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim '4 including pressure responsivecoin operated check valve operating means operable to cause said checkvalve to check flow of gas 1 said pressure vessel; pressure responsivecoin operated check valve means between said pressure vessel and saidchamber operable to check flow of gas thereto upon a predeterminedpressure being reached in said chamber; a dispensing head connected tosaid vessel and oriented to direct gas dispensed therefrom towards apurchaser; coin operated dispensing valve means between said chamber andsaid dispensing head; and time control means operable to control saiddispensing valve and cut off flow from said chamber after apredetermined time and wherein said check valve, dispensing valve andtime control means are electrically operated and are connected togetherin.

circuit.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including manually operablecontrol means responsive to a purchaser.

for checking flow of gas from said dispensing head..

9. Coin operated apparatus for dispensing gaseous oxygen and the like inpredetermined unit volume and OOIII'. prising: a pressure vessel forstoring said gas; an expan sion chamber of predetermined unit volumeconnected to said pressure vessel; coin operated dispensing valve meansbetween said chamber and said dispensing head; a dis.

pensing head connected to said vessel and oriented to direct gasdispensed therefrom towards a purchaser; a dispensing needle having agas passageway therein, in said dispensing head; a grill member movablymounted to conceal said needle and slidable to permit the same to passtherethrough; and, dispensing control means responsive to movement ofsaid grill to operate said dispensing valve.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 including one way flow controlmeans between said chamber and said dispensing head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Koppelman.

Flynn 222-2 Dempsey et al 128143 Webb et al. 128141 X Anson 194----3ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

10 STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner.

1. COIN OPERATED APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING GASEOUS OXYGEN AND THE LIKE INPREDETERMINED UNIT VOLUME AND COMPRISING: A PRESSURE VESSEL FOR STORINGSAID GAS; METERING MEANS CONNECTED THERETO FOR REGULATING FLOW OF GASVOLUME THEREFROM; COIN RESPONSIVE CONTROL MEANS FOR OPERATION OF SAIDMETERING MEANS; A DISPENSING HEAD CONNECTED TO SAID VESSEL AND ORIENTEDTO DIRECT GAS DISPENSED THEREFROM TOWARDS A PURCHASER; A DISPENSINGNEEDLE HAVING A GAS PASSAGEWAY THEREIN, IN SAID DISPENSING HEAD; AND, AGRILL MEMBER MOVABLY MOUNTED TO CONCEAL SAID NEEDLE AND SLIDABLE TOPERMIT THE SAME TO PASS THERETHROUGH.